Golf balls are of two types; these types being solid balls and multicomponent balls. The solid ball consists of a polymeric sphere into which is molded a plurality of dimples to aid the flight characteristic of the ball. The multicomponent balls consist of a wound or solid core which is covered with a separate and distinct cover. This invention is concerned primarily with the latter-mentioned multicomponent-type golf balls and a means for enhancing the color of the covers in question; however, the invention can be used with the solid balls as described above.
Golf ball covers have for decades consisted principally of balata, a natural resin. In the last twenty years, synthetic polymeric materials and mixtures thereof have come into widespread use as golf ball covers. With both balata covers and synthetic polymeric golf ball covers, a final multicoat paint system, including at least one pigmented coat, has been utilized in order to give the finished product a white, durable finish.
In their natural form, neither the above-mentioned balata nor synthetic polymeric materials are white in appearance. In order to provide a white substrate for the paint system as used in the prior art, it was very common to blend a white pigment into the cover composition. Regardless of this utilization of a white pigment, it was still necessary to utilize a pigmented paint system as described above in order to produce a top quality white golf ball suitable for professional play. The painting of the pigmented cover is necessary as even with the white pigment, the resulting cover is not a bright white.
With this invention, it is possible to eliminate the pigmented painting of golf balls and yet produce a golf ball which is superior to the prior art painted golf balls in both color and optical brightness.
These ends are accomplished by utilization of an optical brightener in combination with a pigmented polymeric cover system.